A commander in the Prairie Village Police Department has been hired to be the next Eudora police chief.

Eudora City Manager Barack Matite announced Tuesday that Wes Lovett will start Aug. 2 as chief of the 13-person Eudora Police Department. He will replace Bill Edwards, who is retiring.

Wes Lovett

Lovett is a captain in the Prairie Village Police Department and commander of its investigations divisions, according to a news release from the city of Eudora. He oversees the department’s detectives, special investigators, school resource officers and it D.A.R.E. program. The Journal-World could not reach Lovett for comment Tuesday.

Eudora City Commissioner Troy Squire, a captain in the Lawrence Police Department and member of the city’s police chief interview team, said Lovett’s experience and his interest in the Eudora position made him stand out among the four finalists who interviewed for the job.

“He said he had never applied for another position because he was looking for the right fit,” he said. “The research and background on Eudora he brought to the interview was impressive for an outsider. He had a real interest in the position.”

Also impressive was the experience Lovett would bring to the Eudora department, Squire said. Lovett has been commander of all three divisions within the Prairie Village Police Department of investigations, patrol and staff services, he said.

“He’s going to bring all that experience to our town and prepare our officers for the next phase of their careers,” he said. “Some on the programs they (Prairie Village) have, like coffee with a cop, seemed like they would work well in Eudora.”

Although he hasn’t met the city’s next chief, Eudora Mayor Tim Reazin said he was impressed that Lovett rose through the ranks to his current position.

“His level of training and experience was just what we were looking for,” he said.

Lovett, a graduate of Shawnee Mission North High School and Kansas State University, joined the Prairie Village department in 1993 as a patrol officer. He then served as a field training officer, school resource officer, detective and hostage negotiator. He was promoted to corporal in 1998 and to sergeant in 2003 before being named supervisor of the department’s special investigations unit. Lovett was promoted to captain in 2007.

Edwards’ last day was to be July 1, but he said he agreed to stay on through part of July at the request of Matite.

“The new chief couldn’t start until Aug. 2,” he said. “I’ll still have a retirement reception Thursday, but I couldn’t leave them shorthanded.”

Correction: A previous version of this article included the incorrect Lawrence Police Department rank for Troy Squire. Squire is a captain.